I recall when I first began exploring the concept of ‘believing in nothing’ (how very Zen that sounds, no?). I have (or have been told that I have) some little bit of talent in the critique department, at least when it comes to analyzing the actions of others. So I fit right in.
The other major attraction for me, was the honesty. Shorn of glitter, flensed of driftwood, atheists tend to go for the metaphorical jugular, and tell it like it is, not how someone wants it to be (read: religious).
Honesty is a big thing for me. Aside from the fact that most folks don’t enjoy being lied to (regardless of the Fleetwood Mac song), I make a stalwart effort to not lie. I can’t say that I’ve never ever done so, but I’m a WYSIWIG sort of guy. Now we could go into the specifics (a knowing lie versus an unknowing lie), but let’s save that for the comment section. I can very much guarantee that I’ve never, ever knowingly lied to anyone online. Ever. And I’m very much like that in person. If you ask me a question, I’ll give you the answer to the best of my knowledge. If you say something idiotic, I can 100% guarantee I’ll laugh in your face, usually followed by some trenchant, bombastic commentary. Yep, that’s right: I’ll not say a thing here that I’d not say in person. You can bet the rent on that, baby.
Surprisingly, I don’t get swung on a lot, but then I don’t get out much.
Anyways, the other attraction is being free of all that superstitious pap. You know the drill: the three=one deal, the crazy UFO crap, the Yeti apologists, all those bogus brainsick, crazy, daft, demented, disordered, distraught, dotty, insane, lunatic, mad, maniac, maniacal, mentally ill, moonstruck, off, touched, unbalanced, unsound, wrong, cracked, daffy, gaga, loony, bananas, batty, buggy, cuckoo, fruity, loco, nuts, nutty, screwy, wacky or to sum it up in two words, ‘mentally irregular’ epistemologies that make for great reading but not such great reality.
There are, of course, minor downsides. The realization that I’m not immortal is slightly depressing. One of the other downsides is that when I take some rhetorical liberties, my comrades-in-arms (who are somewhat invested in pedantry, but I love ‘em anyways) go to great pains to point out if I’m off target on the facts. That’s all good and fine, but when I need to go on a poetic flourish, I do tend to take a few liberties. For instance: I’m a regular reader at Pharyngula, but (and I kid you NOT) the last dozen times that I’ve commented there, I’ve been corrected. Which I don’t mind usually, except that the last 12 times, I was right, but I still got corrected. Not to say I’ve always been right, but lately I have been (oops, my swollen ego is tipping me over, timber!). I’m not nearly anal enough to track down the entire dozen, so since I’m an honest guy, take me at my word.
Anyways, there’s my nickel’s worth. Please feel free to toss in your own observations (because while I’m blaringly honest, I’m also fallible and creeping past 50, so I miss a thing or two on occasion).
Cheers.
2 comments:
I suppose I'd have to say that I see incurring widespread hatred as the main downside. Then again, I recognize that much of that is a function of where I now live.
Hi Vjack. That's a major downside. Living in the SF bay area, I don't get much flack about it. I was harassed once, but not much came of it.
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